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You are responsible for your own safety. Period.

A firearm, for most people, is the most effective means to defend themselves against another aggressor. That doesn't mean that it's the right call for everyone.

You're right though, training is necessary "table stakes" and I hope that's not what you're going to sacrifice if you purchase. At the very least, go to an outdoor range and get some amount of practice in so that you can handle your firearm safely.

Also, you need to make the decision up front that you're willing to defend yourself with deadly force. Some people can't or are unwilling to do so. This is a far more consequential decision than most people realize. Without training, practice and the will to use it a firearm is simply a liability.

Some other thoughts:

1. Consider getting a medical kit and keeping it on hand. You're far more likely to use it and Stop the Bleed classes are free. It won't cost much to keep on hand

2. Get Concealed Carry Insurance. You'll need legal representation in the case of defending your life.

3. Realize that after you take a life, you'll likely need counseling. Prepare accordingly

And yet you get a gun and the person that gun is far and away most likely to kill is you or someone in your family.

Your post has a ton of fallacies. Are you going to constantly carry your gun? You still think it will protect you if someone has the drop on you? The amount of cowboy situations where guns actually will help are pretty small.

When the police department is defunded in your town, you better hope you have a weapon.

Citation needed.

What would he cite? That there's police departments being defunded in USA right now?

His insinuation seems that crime would immediately (eventually?) spike up once police doesnt have the same financial means. So a citation that says lower police funding correlates to higher crime (specifically at current levels of police funding) would help.

My plan if I do cave is to visit my parents (I'm completely isolated or can isolate completely beforehand) and go to an outdoor range they like to practice. I was actually planning on doing that much once COVID numbers fell to see what kind of gun I would want (they have a few), unfortunately numbers are now trending in the opposite direction.

I firmly subscribe to the "you don't draw/aim your gun unless you intent to kill" methodology and I believe I could handle pulling the trigger and the aftermath. It's not a toy and I would never treat it as such. Thank you for your other suggestions, I had considered the last one but the first 2 were things I didn't know existed or I hadn't thought about them.

You sound reasonable you should acquire a firearm if you want. By the way if you're looking for a good community of left leaning responsible gun owners check out /r/liberalgunowners on reddit. Most gun communities can be more right leaning due to selection bias.

There's probably a range near you, that will let you rent guns, I strongly recommend trying before buying. Also, get an instructor.

As far as buying goes: here you go https://www.budsgunshop.com/search.php/type/Handguns After a background check, they'll deliver to a local FFL, and you'll pick it up from there. If your in CA or a similarly abusive state, that might not work and you'll probably have to buy locally which might be out of stock right now.

Yeah, I actually have a Buds nearby and I've been before to shoot. I've shot guns 10 or so times in my life. That's the place I had planned on buying from and seeing if they had classes (or could hire someone to train me there) after the pandemic had passed.

If you intend to defend your home and you're willing to use a baseball bat then what difference, philosophically, is a gun? Either one is a weapon that allows you to kill an attacker. Ask yourself what you have against the gun - is it an irrational fear?

I'm not afraid of guns themselves and have shot a handful of different guns about 10 times or so in my life. With a bat my goal was not to kill an attacker as much as wound or ward them them off though I understand that killing may be necessary under certain circumstances. My fear was mainly around perpetrating an industry that give too much power to an individual.

I live in a city that is so dangerous the police have to use pepper balls on protesters so that the president can have a chance to pose with a Bible in front of the church of his choice.

But guess what? The prosperous areas are quiet as they were before this. Yes, there were burglars who took advantage of police distraction on the night when protesting turned into rioting, not just downtown but uptown. That's over. The murders remain where the murders have been, i.e. in the poorer ends of town.

I want to be clear, I draw a clear line between protestors, rioters, looters. They are not all the same and even then I can sympathize with some of the property damage (from the perspective of the people doing it).

I’m far less concerned about rioters or protests getting out of hand than I am the police/government or some crazed person who read something or FB or Twitter deciding to take matters in their own hands.

Do you have a history of suicidal ideation, either in you or in your family? Consider this when you get a gun. 60% of gun deaths in the US are suicides [0].

[0]https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/16/what-the-da...

Buy yourself a body armor, preferably concealed. Useful if you for example need to flee through riots.

$250 full L3 kit - https://www.ar500armor.com/plate-carriers/plate-carrier-pack...

AR500 is absolute garbage. Do yourself a favor and look into ceramic plates produced by Hesco or spend a bit more on some flexible armor from SafeLifeDefense.

What are you afraid of that a gun will help you? You are without child and apparently mildly well off. You can't shoot a virus, and if shit really hits the fan here in America, emigration probably won't be a problem

I'm less worried about rioters as much as a certain political party's members whose language has started to really concern me. That coupled with my complete loss of faith in certain institutions I expected to protect me and the (I know some will call this crazy) fear that my political party/views or sexuality might paint a target on my back. Hoping and even working towards what I see as a better future where I would not need a gun alone is become less acceptable in my mind. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

I'm also quite liberal, and bought my first AR back in November 2016. I share your concerns. Your timing is bad, but I do think having a gun (preferably a modern rifle) is a good idea.

You're right that training is important. I don't think you'll find beginner classes right now, but I don't think an in person class is essential. The Shooting 101 series Lucky Gunner Ammo did is a decent start. Some outdoor ranges are still open, but that may not be an option where you are.

I should have done it then but I just never imagined we would be where we are just 3.5 years later. Would have given me time to train and educate myself.

The pandemic opened my eyes to a lot of things. Things not even related, at least on the surface, to the pandemic itself. I’m kicking myself for not seeing it till now.

I’ll check out that series, thank you.

The first thing that comes to mind isn't the virus, but defending one's body, home, or business from rioters.

seriously. not much looting in open carry states.

Any evidence to back up the implication here?

I’m curious.

Not exhaustive but, compare the below with Chicago or Minneapolis.

https://houston.eater.com/2020/6/1/21277094/downtown-houston...

Minneapolis is where the protests started, though, so it makes sense that they would be more intense there in Houston. And beyond "not exhaustive," one example is essentially no evidence at all, unless you believe protests inherently turn violent without people open carrying firearms. Some actual numbers on property damage in multiple cities compared to rates of firearm ownership and ideally open carrying would be useful, but I'm not sure we have those.

I'd love that data. I'm sure someone will publish something with that. I'm personally in a red state and the agitators were kept on a short lease by the police. Just a few broken windows and a temporarily blocked freeway. Nothing burned down.

And you are right non-exhaustive was an understatement. Haha.

Were rioters looting private homes? I don't think it makes sense to buy a gun to defend your local Wal*Mart.

I saw more than a few Mom and Pop shops looted. If they had shotguns, maybe their shop would have suffered broken glass but the looting would stop after you had "peppered up"[1] the first looter.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLT5ZADZCeI

I don’t know where you are, but I don’t see the country spiraling out of control at all. I suspect a lot of what’s going on is simply exaggerated by the media for dollars. Don’t get sucked into their narratives.